My Black Moonlight Wife Says She Loves Me - Chapter 9

“Jianan, don’t drink too much water before bed. You’ll have to get up to pee too often and won’t sleep well,” Ruan Nianning murmured gently, taking Jianan’s cup and placing it on the table. She helped Huo Jianan lie down and tucked her in.

Ruan Nianning is actually quite nice right now, Huo Jianan thought. A gentle, virtuous, and delicate little wife. Too bad it’s all an act.

The two women slept on opposite sides of the bed, as far apart as possible. You could easily fit a two-hundred-pound person between them.

Huo Jianan couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. First, she was used to staying up late. Second, her paralyzed legs made even turning over difficult. Lying in one position for too long caused her back muscles to stiffen, making her whole body ache.

How did the original Huo Jianan endure this for four years? she wondered.

She quietly tried to turn over, but without the use of her legs, she could only rely on her upper body strength. Perhaps her technique was wrong, but after several attempts, she still couldn’t manage to roll over.

Sensing the movement beside her, Ruan Nianning’s voice cut through the darkness. “Jianan, do you want to turn over? I can help you.”

“Yes,” Huo Jianan replied, slightly breathless. “I want to lie on my side for a while.”

Ruan Nianning helped her turn over. Huo Jianan finally managed to roll over and felt much more comfortable. “Thank you,” she said.

Now she was facing away from Ruan Nianning.

Feeling it might be impolite to have her back turned, Huo Jianan suggested, “Honey, are you asleep? How about we chat?”

Hearing this, Ruan Nianning, who had been lying with her eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought, opened her eyes. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“Hmm…” Huo Jianan pondered for a moment before asking, “When you were ten, did you ever imagine what kind of life you’d want to have in the future?”

Ruan Nianning was slightly surprised by the question, her gaze drifting to the ceiling. At ten years old, she had already been living with her mother in a cramped, dilapidated rental apartment. Her father was often away, and the neighbors were mostly idle men who would brazenly leer at them, shirtless and wearing only loose shorts, as they walked up the narrow, filthy staircase.

She was terrified of their predatory stares and dreaded climbing those dirty stairs. She hated their new home. But she knew the family was broke. Her father’s business had failed, leaving them buried in debt. They could never return to their beautiful little house.

“Back then, I wished that when I grew up, I could earn a lot of money, buy a beautiful house with wide, bright windows, in a neighborhood filled with trees and flowers, kept neat and clean. The neighbors would be polite, and we’d greet each other cheerfully when walking our dogs.”

She didn’t mention that her real hope was to bring her mother and grandmother to live with her there.

“That’s wonderful! You had so much more ambition than I did,” Huo Jianan said, remembering how she used to dance with joy over perfect test scores at age ten, never giving a thought to what she wanted to do or what kind of life she wanted to live when she grew up.

Ruan Nianning asked, “What about you? What did you imagine your future would be like when you were little?”

“Me?” Huo Jianan chuckled, pulling her neck deeper into the blanket. “I didn’t have any specific plans. I just wanted to do well on tests to make my family happy, and I wished I could grow up faster so I wouldn’t have to take exams anymore. Oh, and back then, eating at KFC was a bit of a luxury for us. My biggest dream was to achieve ‘KFC freedom’ when I grew up—to eat as much as I wanted, whenever I wanted, however I wanted.”

Ruan Nianning’s lips curved into a smile. “Then you must have achieved that by now.”

“Mm, I’ve achieved it. I’ve attained KFC freedom,” Huo Jianan said with a smile. Her current salary meant she could afford KFC for every meal, and for Ruan Nianning, the original owner of this body who was an heiress, it was even less of a problem.

“Honey, have you ever thought about what kind of life you want in the future?”

Ruan Nianning’s gaze turned cold. “I don’t think about the future.”

Ever since her mother’s tragic death, she had been consumed by the desire for revenge. Those who seek vengeance have no future.

“Then think about it now. If you could do anything you wanted, what would you choose?”

Ruan Nianning’s eyes flickered, the icy depths of her gaze softening slightly. She pondered for a long time. If she could exact her revenge and escape unscathed, she would leave the Huo Family, leave Changbin, and go somewhere no one knew her. There, she would meet someone she truly loved, and they would live together in a beautiful house. They would have a lovely daughter, and their family would live happily ever after.

Huo Jianan waited patiently for her answer. After several attempts, she finally managed to roll over onto her back, lying flat.

“Honey, what are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Ruan Nianning replied flatly. “Just daydreaming.”

For the first time, she felt as if her future held no promise, destined to be devoid of light.

Beneath the covers, the hand lying by her side was grasped by another, warmth spreading from the back of her hand.

Huo Jianan, who had somehow returned to lying flat, held her hand firmly. “Honey,” she said earnestly, “I’ll do everything I can to make your wishes come true, as long as they’re good ones.”

Ruan Nianning was slightly taken aback. After a long pause, she replied coldly, “Thank you.”

That night, Ruan Nianning tossed and turned in bed, her mind racing with memories of her childhood happiness, the devastating change after her family’s tragedy, her father’s escapism, her mother’s struggles, and, most of all, her mother’s brutal death!

She would never forgive Huo Zhujun! Never forgive her for such vile and despicable acts!

A wave of icy hatred surged through Ruan Nianning’s heart. Huo Zhujun, Xu Weiyi, you both deserve to die!

Realizing her hand was still being held by the daughter of her enemy, Ruan Nianning tried to pull away in disgust. But Huo Jianan, fast asleep, held her hand tightly.

“Good girl,” Huo Jianan murmured softly, her voice gentle and patient, like soothing a child or a pet. “Don’t fuss. Just sleep peacefully.”

Ruan Nianning froze, stunned. It seemed no one had ever comforted her like this since she was a child.

After mumbling those words, the woman fell silent, her breathing even and steady, indicating she had fallen asleep.

Ruan Nianning turned to look at Huo Jianan. Her eyes were tightly closed, her brow smooth and relaxed. Half her chin was tucked under the blanket, her chest rising and falling with each breath. On her clear, unblemished face lay the innocence and joy of a young girl.

Ruan Nianning stared at this face—her wealthy wife, the woman who would share her bed and pillow from now on. Though not the one she loved, Huo Jianan was someone she had long yearned for—the daughter of her enemy.

The thought of sharing a bed with her enemy’s daughter, of enduring discomfort to win her favor, made Ruan Nianning want to destroy the Huo Family, kill Xu Weiyi, and expose Huo Zhujun’s vile deeds to the world.

Ruan Nianning closed her eyes, turned away, refusing to look at her enemy’s daughter.

After an unknown amount of time, Ruan Nianning suddenly opened her eyes and turned back to Huo Jianan.

Huo Jianan was acting strangely today. When had she ever been so gentle and quiet? Ruan Nianning could sense it—a tranquility that radiated from within, a genuine inner peace.

Ruan Nianning’s brow furrowed, a sense of unease rising in her heart. She couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong, but Huo Jianan seemed different, transformed.

Ruan Nianning: Huo Jianan has truly changed. How can she sleep so soundly? Ugh, I’m so jealous!